Health authorities to ensure sale of hygienic food items during festival season

In view of the festival season, the demand of sweets, milk products and other eatables increases manifold. (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)CHANDIGARH: All Civil Surgeons & District Health Authorities must regularly check the sale of eatable items to ensure the sale of only hygienic and healthy food items. In view of the festival season, the demand of sweets, milk products and other eatables increases manifold, hence the monitoring of such items shall also be stepped up by the health officials to check any possible sale of adulterated eatables, especially milk and milk products like khoa etc. Any unhygienic food item found being sold will be destroyed on the spot.

These instructions were given by principal secretary health, Punjab, Vini Mahajan, while addressing the Civil Surgeons of the state via Videoconferencing. She said that health minister, Surjit Kumar Jyani has already given directions to ensure sale of only quality & hygienic food products.

The meeting was attended by senior officers of the state including Vikas Garg, special secretary health, Dr HS Bali, director health services, Dr Dharam Pal, director family welfare and other senior programme officers.

Mahajan asked the Civil Surgeons to depute eye specialists along with Emergency Medical Officers (EMO’s) in all district and sub-divisional hospitals of Punjab in order to promptly handle any emergency like burns etc during Diwali. She however appealed people to celebrate safe and health Diwali and take necessary precautions to avoid any mishap.

She further reviewed all key health programmes and passed instructions to the officers to ensure delivery of quality health services to the people in the state. She informed that state has already taken the initiative of providing free treatment to patients suffering from Hepatitis-C under the chief minister Punjab Hepatitis-C Relief Fund. In this regard she further announced that on the request of Prisons Department, the health department has decided that prisoners suffering with Hepatitis-C can also be provided free treatment under the scheme.

However, jails department will have to bear the testing cost, whereas treatment and medicines will be provided free of cost by the health department. Principal secretary also reviewed the arrangements for tackling vector borne diseases like Dengue, Chikungunya and asked the officials to maintain strict vigil and regularly monitor the situation. All necessary arrangements for testing and treatment are already available in government Hospitals. She also asked the officers to ensure that vaccination against Hepatitis-B must be given within 24 hours of the birth of every child. Even the children taking birth in private hospitals will be provided with free dose of the vaccine by the Department.